Lithium ion Battery Cell With Single Crystal Li+- Intercalated Titanium Dioxide As An Anode Material

Abstract

A nonaqueous battery cell includes a casing, a negative electrode provided in the casing, the negative electrode including lithium ions intercalated into a single crystal of a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), in the rutile phase, with concentration on the order of 10 16 cm −3 , a positive electrode provided in the casing, a separator separating the negative electrode from the positive electrode, and an electrolyte disposed in the casing. A method of manufacturing a negative electrode material to be used in a nonaqueous battery cell includes the steps of burying a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) into a lithium hydroxide powder, heating, in a furnace, the titanium dioxide buried in the lithium hydroxide powder at about 450° Celsius for 6 or more hours, and isolating a single lithium ion within a C-axis channels aligned along the crystallographic direction of the single TiO 2 crystal.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing an electrode material to be used in a electrochemical battery, said method comprising the steps of:
 (a) burying a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) crystal into a lithium hydroxide powder;   (b) heating, in a furnace, said titanium dioxide buried in said lithium hydroxide powder; and   (c) isolating a single lithium ion within each “C”-axis channel aligned along the crystallographic direction of said single TiO 2  crystal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (b) includes the step of heating said TiO 2  buried in said lithium hydroxide powder at a temperature between 425° C. and 475° C. for a duration of between 19 and 25 hours and at an atmospheric pressure of about 1 atmosphere (atm). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (a) includes the step of burying only a single TiO 2  crystal in a rutile phase. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein step (b) includes the step of diffusing lithium ions into channels aligned along a crystallographic direction of said single TiO 2  crystal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step (b) includes the step of producing Li +  concentrations in said electrode on the order of between 5×10 15  cm −3  and 1×10 17  cm −3 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step (b) comprises the step of heating said TiO 2  buried in said lithium hydroxide powder at an ambient pressure being greater than an atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing said TiO 2  in a rutile crystal form and intentionally doping said TiO 2  crystal, during growth thereof, with transition metal impurities being any one of or any combination of Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Niobium (Nb), Nickel (Ni), Aluminum (Al), Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), Vanadium (V), Yttrium (Y), Zirconium (Zr), and Manganese (Mn). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a concentration of said transition metal impurities is greater than 10 13  cm −3 . 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing an electrode material for use in an electrochemical battery, comprising the steps of:
 (a) burying a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) of a rutile crystal type into a lithium hydroxide powder;   (b) heating said TiO 2  buried in said lithium hydroxide powder; and   (c) producing concentrations of lithium ions in said electrode material on an order of between 5×10 15  cm −3  and 1×10 17  cm −3 .   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of diffusing only a single lithium ion into channels aligned along the crystallographic direction of said single TiO 2  crystal. 
     
     
         11 . A nonaqueous battery cell, comprising:
 (a) a casing;   (b) an electrolyte disposed in said casing;   (c) a negative electrode provided in said casing, said negative electrode containing material including positively ionized lithium ions intercalated, with concentration on the order of 10 16  cm −3 , into a single crystal of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 );   (d) a positive electrode provided in said casing; and   (e) a separator separating said negative electrode from said positive electrode.   
     
     
         12 . The nonaqueous battery of  claim 11 , further comprising a vent opening in a wall of said casing. 
     
     
         13 . The nonaqueous battery cell of  claim 11 , further comprising a member disposed on and surrounding an exterior surface of said casing, said member containing a material that reduces dissipation of heat concentration external to said casing during operation of said battery cell. 
     
     
         14 . The nonaqueous battery cell of  claim 11 , wherein a capacity of said nonaqueous battery is in a range between 201 and 235 mA·hr/g. 
     
     
         15 . The nonaqueous battery of  claim 11 , wherein said negative electrode material further comprises transition metal impurities being any one of Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Niobium (Nb), Nickel (Ni), Aluminum (Al), Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), Vanadium (V), Yttrium (Y), Zirconium (Zr), and Manganese (Mn). 
     
     
         16 . The nonaqueous battery cell of  claim 15 , wherein a concentration of said transition metal impurities is greater than 10 13  cm −3 . 
     
     
         17 . The nonaqueous battery cell of  claim 11 , wherein said material further contains a single lithium ion isolated within each C-axis channel aligned along the crystallographic direction of said single TiO 2  crystal. 
     
     
         18 . A nonaqueous battery cell, comprising:
 (a) a casing;   (b) an electrolyte disposed in said casing and being manufactured from a lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6 );   (c) a negative electrode provided in said casing, said negative electrode containing a material including lithium ions intercalated into a single crystal of a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) on an order of between 5×10 15  cm −3  and 1×10 17  cm −3 ;   (d) a positive electrode provided in said casing, said positive electrode containing a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO 2 ) material; and   (e) a separator separating said negative electrode from said positive electrode.   
     
     
         19 . A nonaqueous battery comprising:
 (a) two or more battery cells, each battery cell including:
 i. a casing, 
 ii. a vent opening in a wall of said casing, 
 iii. an electrolyte disposed in said casing and containing a lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF 6 ) 
 iv. a negative electrode provided in said casing, said negative electrode containing a material having lithium ions intercalated into a single crystal of a titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) on the order of between 5×10 15  cm −3  and 1×10 17  cm −3 , 
 v. a positive electrode provided in said casing and containing a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO 2  material, and 
 vi. a separator separating said negative electrode from said positive electrode; and 
   (b) a thermally insulating foil disposed on an exterior surface of each casing so as to reduce a heat transfer between adjacent battery cells.